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Herakles
]] Herakles is the proper spelling for the Greek God Herakles. The reason for the two spellings is that the Ancient Greeks did not have the letter C so for any word. The equivalent in most cases the letter K (kappa). Eventually this would change but some of the Ancient Greek fundamentalists spell it with a K. For those who are looking for the other Greek spelling go to Heracles Mythology Childhood Herakles who was born Alkaeus was not a normal child, even as a baby. One day, he and his brother, Iphicles were put to sleep, Hera sent two poisonous snakes to kill Herakles (though there is a less accepted theory that his step-father Amphitryon sent them in order to find out which if either was his son). That evening the snakes came into the room where Iphicles & Herakles slept. Alcmene was awakened by screams from the children's the room. Alcmene woke Amphitryon who promptly grabbed his sword and shield. Amphitryon and Alkemene rushed in and found Iphicles cowering in the corner crying while Herakles was gleefully shaking the dead the limp dead bodies of the snakes which Herakles had managed to strangle to death in the time that it had taken Amphitryon to grab a sword & shield and rush to the nursery. Adolescence In his youth Herakles had already made a name for himself. At some point Herakles found himself in Thespiae an ancient Greek city (polis) in Boeotia hunting a lion (not the Nemean Lion). At the time Thespiae was ruled by King Thespius (the land's founder) and Queen Megamede. When Thespius learned of Herakles' presence he saw a way to take advantage of it. The king and queen had fifty daughters (it is likely many of them were daughters of Thespias and mistresses) all of whom were of marrying age but not married. Thespius came up with the idea of having all of his daughters become pregnant by Herakles. Thespius extended his hospitality to the great hero and invited him to stay at the palace while Herakles was hunting down the lion. Thespius said for the time that Herakles was there "you may have my eldest daughter Prokris as your bedfellow." Each night Thespius sent a different one of his daughters (dressed similar to how Prokris had on the first night) to be impregnated by Herakles. The combination of being tired from the hunt and each evenings dinner Herakles was not able to realize he was with a different daughter. By the time Herakles finally hunted down and killed the lion and was ready to leave slept with fourty-nine of the fifty daughters (one of them did not like her father's plan) and the daughters bore a total of fifty-one sons (the eldest Prokris and the youngest of the daughters both bearing twins). Adulthood - First Marriage & The Twelve Labors First Marriage Since birth, Heracles was hunted by Hera's fury. Her revenge came to a climax after Heracles' marriage. One day, Hera made Heracles go into a blind frenzy, inflicting chaos on all those around him. But those people were his wife and children. After recovering from the rage, he was shocked to find his family dead at his feet. The people around could not bear the knowledge of Heracles act and told him. Crying for his loved ones, and calling himself a murderer, Theseus, king of Athens, came forth from the crowd, offered the demigod his hand and told to come with him to Athens. At first, Heracles refused to touch the hand, since according to the Greek belief, a man who touches the blood of a murdered one is also responsible for the act. After Theseus insisted, Heracles agreed. At Athens, Heracles sought out the oracle, which told Heracles that if he wishes to be pure again, he must punish himself. Heracles e, and turned to his uncle, Eourystheus, who was a cruel, insidious man. Eurystheus took the offer and gave Heracles what was later known as the Twelve Labors of Herakles. While Herakles was officially performing the labors that Eourystheus commanded many were selected by Hera who commanded Eourystheus to assign these tasks. This is evident because in some versions of this tale, when Hera was consulting with Hekate about the monster she wanted Herakles to face first she originally chose the Hydra (Herakles' Second Labor). Iris (who was on good terms with Herakles) successfully changed Hera's mind by telling her how generous she was that the Lion would maul Herakles and cause much more pain whereas the Hydra would kill Herakles instantly. Hera's wrath and desire to cause Herakles pain made her change her mind The First Labor: Slay the Nemean Lion The Nemean Lion known as Leon Nemeios (Λεον Νεμειος), was the son of the monster Ekhidna, it dwelled in Nemea, north of Argus. The lion was said to be bigger than Heracles, could not be harmed by any weapon. He used to emerge from two openings in his cave and destroy anything and anyone who stood in his way, and terrorized the nearby valleys. As a first task, Aristeaus told Herakles to bring him the skin of the Nemean Lion. Herakles climbed the mountain, passed the bushes and at twilight he found the lion. Herakles took his bow and shot the lion. Since no weapons could harm it, the arrow fell to the ground as the lion did not even notice it. Heracles shot an arrow to the monster's chest, but of no avail. But that last arrow fell between the Lion's feet and he noticed Herakles, and jumped toward him. The demigod tried to hit its head with a olive wood branch, but it only misted the Lion's eyes and it retreated back to its lair. Herakles used his enemy's blindness, and blocked the rear entrance of the cave, and stormed through the front, there he found the lion. The hero jumped on the beast's back, and since he could not harm it with weapons, he suffocated it to death. Using the dead Lion's own claws, he opened its body and made a mantal from the skin. He wore it ever since. Returning with the pelt to the capital city, his uncle was so afraid of Herakles' mighty power he ordered him to never enter the capital with the evidence of his labors, and gave his nephew tasks using a messenger. The Second Labor: Slay the Lernean Hydra The Lernaean Hydra (Λερναιαν Ὑδρα), yet another child of Ekhidna, was a terrifying beast, which lived near Amimona river, and bathed in the deep swamps nearby. It had nine heads of a serpent and a body of a dog. With its deadly venomous spit, it killed animals and destroyed crops. Heracles was told to slay the Hydra, and came to her home by a chariot driven by Iolaus, his nephew. The demigod fired burning arrows into its lair to call the Hyra out, but to his surprise, both the Hydra and another beast came out. It was a giant crab sent by Hera, so Heracles may find his death. Coming out of the mud, the crab bit Heracles' leg, trying to make him fall. Heracles crushed the crab with his heel, but was trapped by the Hyra. Herakles tried to behead the Hydra, but whenever a head was cut off, two others grew instead. Seeing Heracles failing to cut off the Hydra's heads, Iolaus burned a branch of a nearby tree, and whenever a head was chopped, he burned it so another may not grow. At the end, only one head remained, but it was immortal, so Heracles took a rock and buried the head underneath. Returning to the city, Aristaeus claimed since Herakles had Iolaus as an assistance, it was not to be considered a task. The Third Labor: Capture the Golden Hind of Artemis Eurystheus and Hera were greatly angered to find that Heracles had managed to escape from the claws of the Nemean Lion and the fangs of the Lernaean Hydra, and so decided to spend more time thinking up a third task that would spell doom for the hero. The third task did not involve killing a beast, as it had already been established that Heracles could overcome even the most fearsome opponents, so Eurystheus decided to make him capture the Kerynitis Hind, as it was so fast it could outrun an arrow. After beginning the search, Heracles awoke from sleeping and he could see the hind from the glint on its antlers. Heracles then chased the hind on foot for a full year through Greece, Thrace, Istria and the land of the Hyperboreans. In some versions, he captured the hind while it slept, rendering it lame with a trap net. In other versions, he encountered Artemis in her temple and she told him to leave the hind and tell Eurystheus all that had happened and his third labor would be considered to be completed. Yet another version claims that Herakles trapped the Hind with an arrow between the forelegs of the creature. Eurystheus had given Heracles this task hoping to incite Artemis' anger at Heracles for his desecration of her sacred animal. As he was returning with the hind, Heracles encountered Artemis and her brother Apollo. He begged the goddess for forgiveness, explaining that he had to catch it as part of his penance, but he promised to return it. Artemis forgave him, foiling Eurystheus' plan to have her punish him. Upon bringing the hind to Eurystheus, he was told that it was to become part of the King's menagerie. Heracles knew that he had to return the hind as he had promised, so he agreed to hand it over on the condition that Eurystheus himself come out and take it from him. The King came out, but the moment Heracles let the hind go, it sprinted back to its mistress, and Heracles left saying that Eurystheus had not been quick enough. Eurystheus, upset that Heracles had managed to overcome yet another creature, told him to bring the fearsome Erymanthian Boar back to him alive. The Fourth Labor: Capture the Erymanthian Boar For Herakles' fourth labor, he was charged to capture the Erymanthian Boar, an enormous boar that had been a giant fear-inspiring creature of the wilds that lived on Mount Erymanthos. The Erymanthian Boar that attacked the farmlands of Psophis. Hercules' fourth labour—by some counts, for there is no single definitive telling—was to capture the Ermanthian Boar. On the way there, Herakles visited Pholus ("caveman"), a kind and hospitable centaur and old friend. Hercules ate with him in his cavern—though the centaur devoured his meat raw—and asked for wine. Pholus had only one jar of wine, a gift from Dionysoss to all the centaurs on Mt. Erymanthos. Heracles convinced him to open it, and the smell attracted the other centaurs. They did not understand that wine needs to be tempered with water, became drunk, and attacked. Herakles shot at them with his poisonous arrows, and the centaurs retreated all the way to Khiron's cave. Pholus was curious why the arrows caused so much death, and picked one up but dropped it, and the arrow stabbed his foot, poisoning him. One version states that a stray arrow hit Khiron as well, but Khiron was immortal, although he still felt the pain. Khiron's pain was so great, he volunteered to give up his immortality, and take the place of Prometheus, who had been chained in to the top of a mountain to have his liver eaten daily by an eagle, although he was an immortal Titan. Prometheus' torturer, the eagle, continued its torture on Khiron, so Heracles shot it dead with an arrow. It is generally accepted that the tale was meant to show Heracles as being the recipient of Khiron's surrendered immortality. However, this tale contradicts the fact that Khiron later taught Akhilles. The tale of the Kentaurs sometimes appears in other parts of the twelve labours, as does the freeing of Prometheus. Heracles had visited Khiron to gain advice on how to catch the boar, and Chiron had told him to drive it into thick snow, which sets this Labour in mid-winter. Having successfully caught the Boar, Heracles bound it and carried it back to Eurystheus, who was frightened of it and ducked down in his half-buried storage pithos, begging Heracles to get rid of the beast, a favorite subject for the vase-painters. Heracles obliged. Roger Lancelyn Green states in his Tales of the Greek Heroes that Heracles threw it in the sea. It then swam to Italy, where its tusks were preserved in the Temple of Apollo at Cumae. Three days later, Eurystheus, still trembling with fear, sent Heracles to clean the Augean stables. The Fifth Labor: Clean the Augean Stables The fifth Labour of Heracles was to clean the Augean Stables. This assignment was intended to be both humiliating (rather than impressive, as had the previous labours) and impossible, since the livestock were divinely healthy (immortal) and therefore produced an enormous quantity of dung. These stables had not been cleaned in over 30 years, and over 1,000 cattle lived there. However, Heracles succeeded by rerouting the rivers Alpheus and Peneus to wash out the filth. Augeas was irate because he had promised Heracles one tenth of his cattle if the job was finished in one day. He refused to honour the agreement, and Herakles killed him after completing the tasks. Heracles gave his kingdom to Augeas' son Phyleus, who had been exiled for supporting Heracles against his father. The Sixth Labor: Rid the Island Stymphalos of the Man-eating Birds For his sixth labor, Herakles had to get rid of the Man-Eating Stymphalian Birds. Herakles traveled to the island of Stymphalos. Heracles could not go too far into the swamp, for it would not support his weight. Athena, noticing the hero's plight, gave Heracles a set of castanets which had made especially for the occasion. Heracles shook the Castanets and frightened the birds into the air (other versions of the story say that Herakles was given a pair of symbols which he banged loudly). Heracles then shot many of them with his arrows. The rest flew far away, never to return. The Argonauts would later encounter them. Heracles then brought some of the birds he had killed to Eurystheus. He then sent Heracles to capture the Cretan Bull and bring it to him. In order to get them out of the trees Herakles first started banging cymbols. The Seventh Labor: Capture the Kretan Bull Whistling merrily at his success so far, Heracles was then sent to capture the bull by Eurystheus as his seventh task. He sailed to Krete, whereupon the King, Minos, gave Heracles permission to take the Kretan Bull away and offered him assistance, which Heracles denied because of pride, as it had been wreaking havoc on Krete by uprooting crops and leveling orchard walls. Heracles snuck up behind the bull and then used his hands to strangle it, and then shipped it back to Athens. Eurystheus, who hid in his pithos at first sight of the creature, wanted to sacrifice the bull to Hera, who hated Heracles. She refused the sacrifice because it reflected glory on Heracles. The bull was released and wandered into Marathon, becoming known as the Marathonian Bull. Theseus would later sacrifice the bull to Athena and/or Apollo. The Eight Labor: Steal the Men Eating Mares of Diomedes After capturing the Kretan bull, Herakles was to steal the Mares of Diomedes. In one version of the story, Heracles brought a number of youths to help him. They took the mares and were chased by Diomedes and his men. Herakles was not aware that the horses, called Podagros (the fast), Lampon (the shining), Xanthos (the blond) and Deinos (the terrible), were kept tethered to a bronze manger because they were wild; their madness being attributed to an unnatural diet of human flesh. Some versions say that they expelled fire when they breathed. They were man-eating and uncontrollable, and Herakles left his favoured companion, Abderus, in charge of them while he fought Diomedes, and found out that the boy was eaten. In revenge, Herakles fed Diomedes to his own horses, then founded Abdera next to the boy's tomb. In another version, Herakles stayed awake so that he didn't have his throat cut by Diomedes in the night, and cut the chains binding the horses. Having scared the horses onto the high ground of a peninsula, Heracles quickly dug a trench through the peninsula, filling it with water, thus making it an island. When Diomedes arrived, Heracles killed him with an axe (the one used to dig the trench), and fed the body to the horses to calm them. Both versions have eating make the horses calmer, and Herakles took the opportunity to bind their mouths shut, and easily took them back to King Eurystheus, who dedicated the horses to Hera. In some versions, they were allowed to roam freely around Argos, having become permanently calm, but in others, Eurystheus ordered the horses taken to Olympus to be sacrificed to Zeus, but Zeus refused them, and sent wolves, lions, and bears to kill them. Roger Lancelyn Green states in his Tales of the Greek Heroes that their descendants were used in the Trojan War. After the incident, Eurystheus sent Herakles to bring back the Girdle of Hippolyta. The Ninth Labor: Obtain the Girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons Hippolyta appears in the myth of Heracles.He was sent to obtain the Girdle of Hippolyta It was her girdle that Heracles was sent to retrieve for Admeta, the daughter of king Eurystheus, as his ninth labor. When Heracles landed the Amazons originally were reserved and did not received him warmly. However Herakles performed a feet of great strength and won them over. Upon hearing his request, she agreed to let him take the girdle. Hera, however, was not pleased, as was often the case with Heracles. The fact that Herakles won the Amazons over so easily and thus acquired the Girdle with ease, Hera was upset. Hera took action to stop him, she came down to the Amazons disguised as one of their own and ran through the land, crying that Heracles meant to kidnap their queen. Probably remembering all too well what Theseus had done, the Amazons charged toward the ship to save Hippolyta. Fearing that Hippolyta had betrayed him, Heracles kissed her briefly then hastily killed her, ripped the girdle from her lifeless body, and set sail, narrowly escaping the raging warriors. The Tenth Labor: Obtain the Cattle of the Giant Geryon Herakles' Tenth Labor was to obtain the cattle of the three headed, three bodied Giant Geryon.In the fullest account in the Bibliotheke of Pseudo-Apollodoros, Heracles was required to travel to Erytheia, in order to obtain the Cattle of Geryon as his tenth labour. On the way there, he crossed the Libyan desert and became so frustrated at the heat that he shot an arrow at Helios, the Sun. Helios "in admiration of his courage" gave Heracles the golden cup he used to sail across the sea from west to east each night. Heracles used it to reach Erytheia, a favorite motif of the vase-painters. Such a magical conveyance undercuts any literal geography for Erytheia, the "red island" of the sunset. When Heracles reached Erytheia, no sooner had he landed than he was confronted by the two-headed dog, Orthrus. With one huge blow from his olive-wood club, Heracles killed the watchdog. Eurytion the herdsman came to assist Orthrus, but Heracles dealt with him the same way. On hearing the commotion, Geryon sprang into action, carrying three shields, three spears, and wearing three helmets. He pursued Heracles at the River Anthemus but fell victim to an arrow that had been dipped in the venomous blood of the Lernaean Hydra, shot so forcefully by Heracles that it pierced Geryon's forehead, "and Geryon bent his neck over to one side, like a poppy that spoils its delicate shapes, shedding its petals all at once". Heracles then had to herd the cattle back to Eurystheus. In Roman versions of the narrative, on the Aventine hill in Italy, Kakos stole some of the cattle as Heracles slept, making the cattle walk backwards so that they left no trail, a repetition of the trick of the young Hermes. According to some versions, Heracles drove his remaining cattle past a cave, where Kakos had hidden the stolen animals, and they began calling out to each other. In others, Caca, Kakos' sister, told Heracles where he was. Heracles then killed Kakos, and according to the Romans, founded an altar where the Forum Boarium, the cattle market, was later held. To annoy Heracles, Hera sent a gadfly to bite the cattle, irritate them and scatter them. The hero was within a year able to retrieve them. Hera then sent a flood which raised the level of a river so much, Heracles could not cross with the cattle. He piled stones into the river to make the water shallower. When he finally reached the court of Eurystheus, the cattle were sacrificed to Hera. In the Aeneid, Vergil may have based the triple-souled figure of Erulus, king of Praeneste, on Geryon. The Herculean Sarcophagus of Genzano features a three headed representation of Geryon. The Eleventh Labor: Steal the Apples of the Hesperides After Herakles completed his first ten Labours, Eurystheus gave him two more claiming that neither the Hydra counted (because Iolaus helped Heracles) nor the Augean stables (either because he received payment for the job or because the rivers did the work). The first of these two additional Labours was to steal the apples from the Garden of the Hesperides. Heracles first caught the Old Man of the Sea, the shape-shifting sea god, to learn where the Garden of the Hesperides was located. In some variations, Heracles, either at the start or at the end of his task, meets Antaeus, who was invincible as long as he touched his mother, Gaia, the earth. Heracles killed Antaeus by holding him aloft and crushing him in a bearhug. Herodotus claims that Heracles stopped in Egypt, where King Busiris decided to make him the yearly sacrifice, but Herakles burst out of his chains. Hercules stealing the golden apples from the Garden of the Hesperides. Detail of a Twelve Labours Roman mosaic from Llíria, Spain (3rd century). Finally making his way to the Garden of the Hesperides, Heracles tricked Atlas into retrieving some of the golden apples for him, by offering to hold up the heavens for a little while (Atlas was able to take them as, in this version, he was the father or otherwise related to the Hesperides). This would have made this task - like the Hydra and Augean stables - void because he had received help. Upon his return, Atlas decided that he did not want to take the heavens back, and instead offered to deliver the apples himself, but Herakles tricked him again by agreeing to take his place on condition that Atlas relieve him temporarily so that Heracles could make his cloak more comfortable. Atlas agreed, but Heracles reneged and walked away, carrying the apples. According to an alternative version, Heracles slew Ladon instead. The Twelfth Labor: Capture and bring back Kerberos Time as an Argonaut Some time after completing his twelve labors Herakles took part in another famous adventure, the Quest for the Golden Fleece. His time however as an Argonaut was brief, the Argonauts decided to have a competition to see who could row for the longest period of time before exhaustion set in. The last two were Jason and Herakles and finally Jason became exhausted but moments later Herakles' oar broke. So that Herakles could get wood for a new oar the Argonauts stopped at the island Mysia. Herakles set out to find a sturdy which Herakles could make his oar while his and his close companion Hylas went to get water. The nymph or nymphs (Pegaiai Naiades) of the local spring (Dryope in particular), fell in love with Hylas and kidnapped him thus Hylas vanished without a trace. When Herakles noticed Hylas had disappeared he along with Polyphemus searched the island for a great length of time. The two spent so much time that under great pressure from most of the crew that Jason decided they had waited long enough for Herakles and Polyphemus. So, the crew of the Argo left without them bringing an end to Herakles' brief time as an Argonaut. Time In Lydia At some point, following his twelve labors Herakles inadvertently killed Iphitus. As was his habit Herakles blamed himself more than others blamed him. The pennance was that Herakles, was, by the command of the Delphic Oracle Xenoclea, to be sold as a slave to Omphale for the period of a year. The compensation was to be paid to Eurytus (who refused to accept it). During that year, Omphale forced the great hero to dress as a woman (while she herself would wear his Nemean Lion pelt and carry his Olive Wood Club) and perform tasks that were generally viewed as those reserved for women such as weaving at a loom. Despite the fact that she humiliated him, she also forced him to be her lover and according to some versions she forced his to marry her. During his time at Lydia which may have extended beyond the year of forced servitude, Herakles would become the father by Omphale of Agelaus, Maleus & Tyrsenus as well as Akelus by Malis (one of the queen's slave girls) and Kleodaees with an unnamed slave girl of Queen Omphale. It is however likely that this was not a real marriage and he was simply her lover for a period of time since he left Lydia while she was still around. It is however worth mentioning especially since his time dressed in women's clothing doing tasks meant for women is a well known part of his life. Second Marriage Heracles was married to Deianeira. Long after their marriage, one day the centaur Nessus offered to ferry them across a wide river that they had to cross. Nessus set off with Deianeira first, but tried to abduct her. When Heracles realized the centaur's real intention, Heracles chased after him and shot him with an arrow which was poisoned with Hydra's blood. Before he died, Nessus told Deianeira to take some of his blood and semen and treasured it, since it was a very powerful medicine and: if she ever thought Heracles was being unfaithful, the centaur told her, the mixture would prevent him from betraying him. Deianeira kept the vial of blood and semen. Gigantomachia One of his last great adventures was his part in the war between the gods and Giants who were the children of Gaia and Tartaros. Many of these giants were created to oppose a specific god, some however were just there to help try and overthrow the Olympians in genreral. None of the giants (with the exception of Alkyones) could be killed be killed by a god alone and most required the combined efforts of a god and a mortal hero (the Gigante Leon who Herakles faced in singles combat was a rare exception). Since the gods could not kill the Gigantes without the help of a mortal hero, Herakles was recruited for the job, For more on this see Many years after that incident she heard rumors that Heracles had fallen in love with another woman. She smeared some of the mixture on a robe and sent it to Heracles by a servant named Leechas. When doing so, some of the mixture was spilled on the floor and when the sun rays fell on it, it begun to burn. Because of this Deianeira begun to suspect Nessus's advice and decided to send another servant to fetch Leechas back before he could hand over the soaked robe to Heracles. She was too late. Heracles has already put on the robe and when he did so the blood still poisoned from the same arrow used by Hercules, burnt into his flesh. When he jumped into a nearby river in hope of extinguishing the fire, it only made it worse. When he tried to rip off the robe from his body his organs were also ripped off with it. Furiously, Heracles caught Leechas and tossed him into the sea. After that he told his friend Philoctetis to build him a pyre on the mountain Oata. He was burnt to death on the pyre. Before dying, Heracles offered his bow and arrows as a token of gratitude to Philoctetis. His father Zeus then turned him into a god. Deianeira, after hearing what she had caused, committed suicide. After his death, Heracles was brought to Mt. Olympus and made a god (God of Physical Strength). At this point Hera finally overcame her jealousy and offered Heracles her daughter Hebe's hand in marriage. Relatives Parents * Alkmene (mother) & Zeus (father) Amphitryon (step-father) Children * Aekhmagoras (by Philo daughter of Alkimedon) * Agamedas (with an unknown woman) * Agathyrsus (by the monster Ekhidna) * Agelaus (by Queen Omphale the Queen of Lydia) * Agylleus (with an unknown consort) * Akelus (by Malis, a slave of Queen Omphale) * Alexiares (by Hebe with Herakles' third wife Hebe goddess of youth) * Alopius (with Antiope a daughter of King Thespius) * Amathes (with unknown woman who is also the mother of Boeus of Bretius and Brettus) * Amathous (with an unknown consort) * Amnestrius (with Eone a daughter of King Thespius) * Aniketos (with Herakles' third wife Hebe goddess of youth) * Antiades (with Aglaia a daughter of King Thespius) * Antileon (with Prokris a daughter of King Thespius) * Antimakhus (with Nikippe a daughter of King Thespius) * Antiokhus (with Anthaeia daughter of King Thespius) * Antiokhus (with Meda daughter of King Phylas) * Antiphus (with Laothoe a daughter of King Thespius) * Arkhedikus (with Eurypyle a daughter of King Thespius) * Arkhimakhus (with Patro a daughter of King Thespius) * Astromus (with Stratonike a daughter of King Thespius) * Astyanax (with Epilais a daughter of King Thespius) * Astymes (with Kalametis a daughter of King Thespius) * Aventinus (with Rhea, an Italian priestess) * Azon (with an unknown consort) * Barge (with Bargases) * Bokolus (with Marse a daughter of King Thespius) * Boeus (with unknown woman who is also the mother of Bretius, Brettus and Amathes) * Bretius (with unknown woman, who is also the mother of Brettus, Boeus and Amathes) * Brettus (with unknown woman, who is also the mother of Bretius, Boeus and Amathes) * Buleus (with Elakhia a daughter of King Thespius) * Celtus (with Celtine daughter of Bretannus king of the Celts) * Deikoon (with Herakles' first wife Megara a daughter of King Kreon of Thebes) * Dexamenus (with an unknown consort) * Dynastes (with Erato a daughter of King Thespius) * Ekhephron (with Psophis a daughter of Eryx) * Entelades (with Menippis a daughter of King Thespius) * Erasippus (with Lysippe a daughter of King Thespius) * Eratus (with Dynaste) * Eukleia (with Myrto daughter of Menoeteus) * Eumedes (with Lyse a daughter of King Thespius) * Eurykapys (with Klytippe a daughter of King Thespius) * Euryopes (with Terpsikrate a daughter of King Thespius) * Eurypyles (with Eubote a daughter of King Thespius) * Eurythrus (with Exole a daughter of King Thespius) * Everus (with Parthenope daughter of Stymphalus) * Glenos (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Kalydon) * Gelon (with Khania, a nymph) * Gelonus (with The monster Ekhidna) * Halokrates (with Olympusa a daughter of King Thespius) * Hippeus (with Prokris a daughter of King Thespius) * Hippodamus (with Anthippe a daughter of King Thespius) * Hippozygus (with Hippokrate a daughter of King Thespius) * Homolippus (with Xanthis a daughter of King Thespius) * Hyllus (with with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Kalydon) * Hyllus (with a naiad Melite) * Iobes (with Kerthe a daughter of King Thespius) * Kadmillus (with a nymph named Kabeira) * Kapylus (with Hippo a daughter of King Thespius) * Keleustinor (with Iphis a daughter of King Thespius) * Khromis (with an unknown consort) * Kleolaus (with Argele a daughter of King Thespius) * Kleodaees (with one of Queen Omphale's slave girls) * Kreon (with Unnamed daughter of King Thespiuse) * Kreontiades (with Herakles' first wife Megara a daughter of King Kreon of Thebes) * Ktesippus (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Kalydon) * Ktesippus (with Astydameia, daughter of Ormenius) * Kyrnus (with an unknown consort) * Kings of India (with Pandela and Indian Princess) * Laomedon (with Meline a daughter of King Thespius) * Laomenes (with Oreia a daughter of King Thespius) * Latinus (with Palantho of Hyperborea) * Leukippus (with Eurytele a daughter of King Thespius) * Leukites (with an unknown consort) * Leukoneus (with Aeskhreis a daughter of King Thespius) * Lykurgus (with Toxikrate a daughter of King Thespius) * Lynkaeus (with Tiphyse a daughter of King Thespius) * Makaria (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Kalydon) - Makareia was Herakles' only daughter * Maleus (with Queen Omphale Queen of Lydia) * Manto (with an unknown consort) * Mentor (with Asopis a daughter of King Thespius) * Nephus (with Praxithea a daughter of King Thespius) * Nikodromus (with Nike a daughter of King Thespius) * Oneites (with Herakles' second wife Deianeira daughter of King Oeneus of Kalydon) * Oenesippus (with Khryseis a daughter of King Thespius) * Oestrobleus (with Hesikhaeia a daughter of King Thespius) * Olynthus (with Bolbe) * Olympus (with Euboea a daughter of King Thespius) * Palaemon (with Iphinoe daughter of Antaeus) * Pallas (with Dyna) * Pallas (with Lavinia, daughter of Evander) * Pandaie (with an unknown consort) * Patroklus (with Pyrippe a daughter of King Thespius) * Phalius (with Helikonis a daughter of King Thespius) * Polylaus (with Eurybia a daughter of King Thespius) * Promakhus (with Psophis a daughter of Eryx) * Rhopalus (with unknown woman) * Skythes (with the monster Ekhidna) * Sophax (with Tinge, wife of Antaeus) * Telephus (with Auge sister of King Kepheus of Tegea) * Teles (with Lysidike a daughter of King Thespius) * Teleutagores (with Euryke a daughter of King Thespius) * Therimakhus (with Herakles' first wife Megara a daughter of King Kreon of Thebes) * Threpsippus (with Panope a daughter of King Thespius) * Thessalus (with Khalkiope daughter of Eurypylus) * Thestalus (with Epikaste the daughter of Augeus) * Tigasis (with Phyleis a daughter of King Thespius) * Tlepolemus (with with either Astyokhe daughter of Phylas) * Unknown son (with Palantia daughter of Evander) * Unnamed serpent (with Pyrene, daughter of King Bebrykius) Gallery of Herakles in his various adventures ATTIC BLACK-FIGURE SUB-DEIANIRA LEKYTHOS BY THE PHAROS PAINTER.jpg|Herakles shooting Nessos who attempts to abduct Deianeira K18.1Hebe.jpg|The Marriage of Herakles and Hebe N18.2Geras.jpg|Herakles fighting Geras (the god of old age) P28 2Ketos.jpg|Herakles shooting arrows at the Trojan Sea Monster K4 11Hera.jpg|Hera Suckling the Infant Herakles O20.4Akheloios.jpg|Herakles wrestles Akheloios to win the hand of Deianeira P28 1Ketos.jpg|Herakles killing the Trojan Sea Monster with fish hooks Herakles_snake_Musei_Capitolini_MC247.jpg|Infant Herakles strangling a poisonous snake M19.6Nemeian.jpg|Herakles wrestles the Nemean lion, grasping it by the neck and strangling (Red figure, Stamnos 490 B.C.) HeraclesHindPalermo1(sculpture).jpg|Metal statue of Herakles capturing the Kerynitis Hind S-l1000.jpg Augean Mosaico Trabajos Hércules (M A N Madrid) 05.jpg|Mosaic of Herakles cleaning the Augean Stables M25.2Tauros.jpg|Herakles fighting the Kretan Bull Hippolyte's Girdle.jpg Apples.jpg Hydra 3.jpg Img erymanthios.jpg Stymphalian Birds1.png|Herakles shooting the Stymphalian Birds Mares of Diomedes.png|One of the Mares of Diomedes Heracles Fighting Geryon (depicted on an amphora).jpg Heracles vs Cerebus.jpg Hekate cerberus herakles.jpg K4 4Hera.jpg M19.5Nemeian.jpg|Herakles wrestles the Nemean Lion, throwing it over his shoulder. (Red figure, Belly Amphora 520 BC) Hydra.jpg M22.1Elaphos.jpg Ermanthian Boar.jpg|Statue of Herakles' Capture of the Erymanthian Boar Stables.png Stymphalian Birds2.jpg|Herakles and some of the dead Stymphalian Birds Z26.1ETauros.jpg|Mosaic of Herakles capturing the Kretan Bull Diomedes Devoured by his Horses 1865.jpg|Diomedes body being eaten by his own horses (Herakles fed it to them) HeraclesHippolyte.jpg Heracles Fighting Geryon (depicted on a 6th century amphora).jpg HeraclesHesperides.jpg Weird-creatures-monsters-from-greek-mythology-cerberus.jpg 255px-Giambologna- Hercules beating Centaur Nesso-Loggia dei Lanzi.jpg M19.1Nemeian.jpg|Nemean Lion Hercules and the Lernaean Hydra ca 1876.jpg 112189083.jpg|Metal statue of Herakles capturing the Kerynitis Hind Boar3.jpg Hercules-at-lake-stymphalos-1880.jpg!Blog.jpg|Herakles at Lake Stymphalos (Gustave Moreau, 1880) Cretan Bull.png|Black Figure Vase of Herakles & the Kretan Bull Z26 1Mares.jpg|Mosaic of Herakles and the Mares of Diomedes HeraklesAmazonsLouvreF218.jpg|Herakles fighting Amazons in order to get Hippolyta's Magical Girdle Geryon.png Z26 1AHesperides.jpg ImagesYYY1ACC2.jpg HydraZurbaran.jpg|Herakles fighting the Lernaean Hydra with his nephew Iolaus holds a tourch to burn its necks Cerynitian hind.jpg 12th-labor-of-hercules-cerberus-pierre-salsiccia.jpg HERAKLES, ATLAS & THE HESPERIAN DRAKON.jpg Z26 1CGeryon.jpg Geryon1a.jpg Heracles Fighting the Amazons.jpeg Img kretaios.jpg Z26.1DStymphalides.jpg Hercules-kills-the-symphalic-bird-1520.jpg!xlMedium.jpg mGObuzEI-MuapdNQnDGw1cQ.jpg M23.2Erymanthian.jpg M23.3Erymanthian.jpg Z26.1FElaphos.jpg M22.2Elaphos.jpg Z26.1GLeon.jpg Hercules-fighting-with-the-nemean-lion-1634.jpg!Blog.jpg HeraklesF167.jpg 41WR+ZZkkzL. AC UL320 SR218,320 .jpg ImagesYYY1ACC2.jpg Z26.1BHydra.jpg M13.3Hydra-Red Krater.jpg Hydra2.jpg 800px-Hercules slaying the Hydra.jpg Hydra 1.png Category:Males Category:Husbands Category:Children of Zeus Category:Gods Category:Immortals Category:Minor Gods Category:Fathers Category:Heroes Category:Twins Category:Twelve Labors Category:Sons of Zeus Category:Argonauts Category:Male Category:Immortal Category:Husband Category:Father Category:The First Labor: Slay the Nemean Lion Category:The Second Labor: Slay the Lernean Hydra Category:The Third Labor: Capture the Golden Hind of Artemis Category:The Fourth Labor: Capture the Erymanthian Boar Category:The Fifth Labor: Clean the Augean Stables Category:The Sixth Labor: Rid the Island Stymphalos of the Man-eating Birds Category:The Seventh Labor: Capture the Kretan Bull Category:The Eight Labor: Steal the Men Eating Mares of Diomedes Category:The Ninth Labor: Obtain the Girdle of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons Category:The Tenth Labor: Obtain the Cattle of the Giant Geryon Category:The Eleventh Labor: Steal the Apples of the Hesperides Category:The Twelfth Labor: Capture and bring back Kerberos Category:Labors of Herakles Category:Twelve Labors of Herakles Category:The Daughters of Thespius